The Journeys Within Our Community Team
Founders
Brandon and Andrea Ross
Brandon and Andrea Ross moved to Cambodia in 2002 and started Journeys Within Tour Company and B&B, based in Siem Reap Cambodia. Over the next year they traveled throughout Southeast Asia and started running tours to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and eventually Myanmar. Guests staying at Journeys Within B&B in the early days asked how they could help and Brandon and Andrea started working with local schools and projects as well as running a Give and Take tour. This small start grew into the present day JWOC.
Now working as volunteer Executive Directors for JWOC alongside their day jobs Brandon and Andrea have been described as “Pioneers in Philanthropic Travel” and believe that travel and business should have a positive impact on the communities visited. Andrea speaks across the US promoting philanthropic travel and the idea of empowered giving. They have two children, Callie and Couper, who have grown up in Cambodia. Andrea and Brandon now split their time between their offices and home in Southeast Asia and visiting the grandparents in California.
Staff
To learn more about our staff also take a look at this photo album on our Facebook page.
Managing Director
Nicola Ball
After graduating in 2002 with a Biological Sciences degree Nicola worked as a researcher at Southampton University before moving overseas in 2004. Working first as a teacher in Chile she then moved to China to continue teaching. Whilst in China she volunteered with a small health-focused NGO operating in rural Yunnan, managing a hygiene education initiative. This experience of education for behavior change led her in 2007 to take on the role of Education Manager with the World Society for the Protection of Animals in Bangkok, establishing and running their humane education programmes throughout South and Southeast Asia. In 2010, after completing her Community Development Certificate, Nicola used her training and experience to assist a grassroots NGO in Madagascar with its organisational development. She aims to use her project and organisation management background combined with her training ability to help JWOC make sustainable changes in Southeast Asia.
Education Manager
Jackie Wall
Following the completion of a 6 month volunteer placement at a foundation in Thailand in 2003 where she taught Thai adults with disabilities and worked with disadvantaged children, Jackie decided to pursue a career in education rather than resuming her financial services role in the UK. Jackie returned to Thailand, passed the CELTA ( Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) and spent the next 6 years working as an ESL and kindergarten teacher in Bangkok. Living and working alongside people of many nationalities and cultures inspired Jackie to study a degree in International Relations. After completing 2 summer study programs focused on development at London School of Economics in 2007 and 2008, Jackie gained further experience in the NGO sector. She volunteered for a Ugandan NGO where she taught short term at a village school and worked with grandmothers in a rural community and, in 2009 to 2010 worked as an intern for a grassroots NGO specializing in HIV care where her business and training skills were utilized. These experiences in Uganda clarified Jackie’s desire to work for an NGO with strong community links. She is a firm believer that access to and improving the quality of education is vital for developing countries and communities. Based on everything she has experienced. Jackie is very excited about her role with JWOC, working in Cambodia and is looking forward to helping JWOC consolidate and develop its education projects.
Office Manager, Bookkeeper and Scholarship Programme Coordinator
Vantha Kuon
Vantha moved to Siem Reap in 2002 in order to attend school and in 2011 he graduated with Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Banking from the University of South-East Asia. He joined JWOC in February 2009 and has taken his place as an invaluable member of staff through his hard work and dedication to community work. Vantha manages the daily tasks related to the administration and maintenance of the office and school as well as working on the bookkeeping for all projects and coordinating the Scholarship Programme. He really enjoys working for JWOC and he hopes he can use his skills and time to help Cambodian students and people in the countryside and local communities.
Clean Water Project Manager
Sokhorn Yan
Sokhorn was born in Battambang city and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree of Education in English (majoring in English for Communication) at the University of Management and Economics (UME) in Battambang. Before working at JWOC, Sokhorn worked for a number of years as an English teacher and translator.
Since taking his position in JWOC’s Graduate Internship programme in October 2009, Sokhorn has been trying his best to learn and work for local communities in Siem Reap. As a Graduate Intern, he was able to gain hands on experience managing both the Clean Water and Free Classes projects. Building on his successes he was promoted to be Clean Water project Manager in October 2010 and continues to enjoy pursuing his passion for working to develop communities and help people who have limited opportunities in life. He gets great job satisfaction from seeing his work in the community turn into real improvements in the living conditions of local families.
Free Classes Project Manager
Somit Mat
Somit started working at JWOC in October 2009 as part of the Graduate Internship programme was promoted to Free Classes Project Manager in October 2010. He enjoys working hard and has been very happy to contribute his time, energy and abilities to JWOC’s projects.
Somit is originally from Kompong Thom province and moved to Siem Reap in 2005. As a previous JWOC university scholarship student, he graduated in September 2009 with a major in Tourism and Hospitality Management from Build Bright University in Siem Reap. During his time at university, Somit worked in various places including the Mandalay Inn, The Angkoriana Hotel and most recently as a Credit Agent in Thaneakea Phum Cambodia Microfinance Company. He also volunteered as part of his scholarship on the Clean Water and Free Classes projects.
At JWOC, Somit is enjoying the opportunity to continue helping and developing his community and he loves his job!
Microfinance Project Manager
Bora Vinh
Bora joined JWOC in late January 2011. He finished his Bachelor’s Degree in General Management in 2008, and currently pursuing his Master’s Degree. Before joining the JWOC team, he worked as Accounting & Human Resource Manager at a boutique hotel. Bora moved from his home-town of Kralanh to Siem Reap in 2002 to complete his studies at high school and then university. He spent over five years working in profit organizations but made the decision recently to use his skills not for profit. As he was interested to work in community development to help the poor community, he decided to join with JWOC. Bora is enjoying the new working environment and building on his knowledge about Microfinance as well as learning about the other projects JWOC runs. He is very happy to continue contributing his commitment and skills to JWOC’s work and is motivated to make the project sustainable and beneficial to all stakeholders.
Community Liaison and Assistance Project Manager
Va Khiev
Va was born in Prey Veng Province and lived there until finishing high school in 2002. Then he moved to Phnom Penh to complete his Bachelor of Education in English as a Foreign Language, graduating in 2006 at Built Bright University. During his university period he worked as teacher of English gaining a good level of experience. In 2007 and 2008 he volunteered for Youth Star Cambodia working on their community development projects in Kreity Province. From 2009 to 2010, he was employed by the Temple Garden Foundation, working as an Adult Education and Vocational Training Program Director. Here he was responsible for the overall management of this education based community development program. Alongside now working at JWOC he is also studying part-time for a Master of Business Administration. In the future he wants to continue working in the charity sector promoting capacity enhancement for community development.Laos Community Director
Nicole LongAfter working odd jobs in New York City for six years, Nicole was ready to pursue one of her life long dreams: traveling. During her first trip abroad to Thailand and Lao P.D.R. a few years ago, she instantly fell in love with the people and culture and couldn't wait to return to Southeast Asia. Traveling was not the single reason she wanted to return to Southeast Asia, more importantly she felt the need and desire to expend her energy helping the people she came to admire.
She gratefully now has the opportunity to do just that in Lao P.D.R. She will be heading JWOC's mission to continue projects that improve the lives of individuals seeking assistance for the development of themselves and their communities. She is excited about the challenges of the work ahead and immersing herself in the Laotian culture.
Myanmar Community Director
Tin HtunTin has been with JWOC since 2008 and was an instrumental part in the community relief efforts JWOC made to help the villages and people destroyed by Cyclone Nargis. He gives much of his free time and energy to help the people from his country who are in need.
Born and raised in a village on the northern frontier of Myanmar, Tin studied English literature in Mandalay University and earned a degree. Thirsty to have a more adventurous life, he decided to move further south to Yangon where he completed his M.A in Interdisciplinary Southeast Asia Study Program.
